Warp tension gauge for looms



Aug. -4, v1931. a Ao. 1v. PAYNE 7 1,817,203

WAR? #TENSION GAUGE FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 6, 19x28 05m? y gy/Y@ kto proper tension.

Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT y OFFICE OSCAR V. PAYNE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON & KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION' OF MASSACHUSETTS WARP TIELNSIVONy GAUGE FOR LOOMS Application led January 6, 1928. Serial' No. 244,955.

T his invention relates to improvements in a tension gauge for the warp threads of looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide a simple device.4 whereby the comparative tensions of the warp threads of a number of different ylooms may be gauged or wherein variations in 'the warp tensioning in a given loom may be noted.

Tn a loom the warp may be supplied by a creol or beam but in either instance it will move toward the harnesses and must be under Tn such fabrics as sill; it is necessary that the tension be rather high and that it also be uniform. The let-olf 1 .motions which govern the amount of warp delivered every beat vof the loom are not always uniform in their operation and are found to unwind more on one piel; than on another. it is very difiicult under ordinary conditions to determine the variations actually occurring in the tension of the warp and itis an important object of my present invention to provide a light and reliable means for visually indicating variations in warp tension. Y

It is a further object of my invent-ion to provide a convenient device which may be carried from one loom to another and applied to a given section of warp threads for the purpose of gauging a Warp tension.

It is a more particular object of my invention to provide a device which may be supported by the warp threads in such a way that its weight does not interfere with the correct indication given by the gauge, the fixed part of the device being supported by certain of the warp threads which are not being gauged.

lViththese and other objects which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resiees in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is shown,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a loom having my invention applied to the warp thereof,

F ig. 2 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale taken in the direction of arrows 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the device looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan View taken in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 1 I have shown a loom frame 1() supporting a warp beam 11 and a whip roll 12. The warp W extends from the warp beam over the whip roll and is separated by lease rods 13 from whence it passes forwardly to the harness frames lei. Advance movement in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 of the warp beam is resisted by a flexible friction band 15 one end of which is anchored to the stud 16 and the other end of which is connected as at 17 to a lever 18. Said lever is pivoted as at 19 to the loom frame and supports a weight 2O in adjusted position so as lto produce variable tension on the band l5. As the take-up (not shown) of the loom carries the warp threads forwardly the warp beam will turn against the resistance offered by the band 15 and there will be created a tension in the warp threads.

lVhen cloth is made according to very accurate specification as to weight and'numbcr of picks of filling, it is desirable to have some means for determining the tension of the warp. he device for showing the tension of the warp threads as shown herein coinprises a plate 30 from which laterally pro- ]ect a pair of spaced supporting tubes 31 and 32, respectively. Extending freely through said tubes are supporting rods 33 which extend on each side of the device and support the same by rest-ing on the warp threads lV. A bell crank lever 34' is pivoted as at 35 to the plate 30 and basa substantially horizontal armf36 from which laterally projects a linger 37 which is adapted to lie over a group of warp threads lV which pass over the tubes 31 and vThe upwardly extending arm 38 of the lever 341- is connected by means of a link 39 to an indicator hand 40 which is positioned to sweep over a dial 41 which may be graduated as set forth more clearly in Fig. 3. A light compression spring L L2 surrounds the hub 43 of the hand 40 and has oneend extending into the plate as at 44 While the other end is connected as at 45 to the hand, said spring tending to move the hand to the rightas viewed in Fig. 3 and tending to hold the vertical arm 38 against stop 46 carried by the plate 30.

In operation the user Will select a given number otr-Warp Ythreads'toy consti-tute the V ot Warp threads, airame, va pair of spaced group W" and litt the group placing tubes 3l and 32 and rods 33 under the group and Weight Vot the device.

at the same time placing linger- 37'on the group. The rods 33 arethen lowered on the Warp W to support the device independently oi the groupV. The springr42 will push the lingerV down on the threads W""and'pr0;

duce a deflection-in said threads, causing them to be bent downwardly shown; in'Fig. 3. It the tension be insui'licient the Warp threads Vvvill be ydeflected a" considerable amount between the tubes 3l`and 32, With the result that the hand 40 Willlie to the right oi. the dial'andV indicate a rather loW tension. Iii, on the other yhand', the tension be relatively high thespring 42 will be able to produce only. afveryV slight deiiection oi the vvarp threads engaged by the tube and the iin-ger 37 will be correspondingly high and the hand 40 will be moved'to kthe, left to indicate .a higher degree ot tension.v

given Vperiod of time to determine the variations in the YWarp' tension Which may occur in studying the various types oilet-oli' motions; Itis topbe understood thatthe device may be used in connection with any letot and in tact may be benelicial inl determining the relative meritsv of diile'rent kinds oi let-oli' motions. rlChe device mayalsobe used to compare Vthe'tensions on a group otlooms all of Which 'are Weavingsubstantially the same kind of cloth which must meet the same' specilications and wherein the"\varp tension shouldbe the same. i v 1 From theforegoing it will be seen that I have provided a very simple device which is self's'upporting on the Warp thread and indicates Vbymeans ol'the hand 40 any variationsvv'hich may occur in the tension ofthe Warp threads. vvil'lV further be seen that inasmuch asy the vWeightot the device is supported'fbyl the rods l33 Whichfin turn rest on the Warp threads not being gauged the readings are vi'ree from anyy error due to the I Iaving thusdescribed" my invention it Will be seen changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art Withoutv departing'(froml the spirit and scope rof the invention and I do4 not Wish-to be ,lim-

itedA to the detailsherein disclosed, but `What I claim is:

l. Ina. gauge tobe'supported entirely by a sheet of Warp threads the plane of which is subliect to slight changesas to position, sup

` The device may beV usedon a loom over a ports for the gauge to resten certain of the Warp threads, means dening a dial, a hand to move across the dial, andmeans acting against the tension oit a group of Warp threads to move said hand relatively to the members secured to the trame. toen-gage the under sides of a group ot Warp threads to be gauged, fa movable linger supported by the `frame' to engage' the upper side ot the same Warp threads, resilient means tending to move the movable linger relatively to thespacedmembers. against the tension ol the Warp threads, meansfdening a dial carried by the lframe, an vindicating hand operatively Athreads other than those the tension of which is being measured. j

3. In a gauge for measuring` the tension oi vvarpthre'ads, a frame, a pair ot spaced meinbers rigid with the frame and 'adapted to lie on the same side ot a group of YWarp threads to be gauged, a movable member supported by theV trame adapted to engage the other side of the group of Warp threads tending normally to cause deflection ofthe Warp threads of the group, an indicator connected to said movable member to indicate the .amount by Which the Warp threads are devliected by the movable member, and means to support said gauge on Warp threads other than those the tension of which is being measured'.

4. In a gauge for measuring the tension oi Warp threads, ak frame,a pair et spaced members iXedto the frame engaging the saine side of a group of vvarp' threads, a movable inember supported bythe frame adaptedv for engagement lwith the other side of the group oi Warp threads, means tending to move'the movable member out of alignment with the fixed members, such movement being resisted by the tension of thevvarp threads in engage ment With` the members, indicating mechalnism to indicate visually the amounts by which the movable member 1s out of alignment with. the spaced members, and means to support said@ gauge on Warp threads other than those the tension ot which is being measured. Y l .i

5. yIn va gauge for measuring the ktension of Warp threads, aV frame, a pair of spaced -able member to a position below the members fixed relatively to the frame, an indicating device connected to the movable member to indicate the amounts by which the movable member moves below a line oining the fixed members, such movement of the indicating member being resisted by the tension of the warp threads, and means to support said gauge on warp threads other than those the tension of which is being measured.

6. In a gauge for measuring the tension of warp threads, a frame, a pair of spaced members to engage and lie on the same side of a group of warp threads, a movable finger between said members to engage the other side of the group of warp threads, resilient means tending to move the finger out of alignment with the members, such movement of the member being resisted by the tension of the warp thread, indicating mechanism to show the extent by which the resilient means moves the inger out of alignment with the members against the tension of the group of warp threads, and means to support said gauge on warp threads other than those the tension of which is being measured.

7. In a gauge for measuring the tension of warp threads, means defining a dial, a hand to move across the dial, a frame to support the dial and hand, a pair of spaced members rigid with the frame and adapted to lie on the same side of a group of warp threads to be gauged, means acting against the tension of said group of warp threads to move the group out of alignment with the said spaced members and operatively connected to the hand to move the same relatively to the dial, and means to support said gauge on warp threads other than those the tension of which is being measured.

8. In a gauge for measuring the tension of warp threads, a frame, a pair of spaced members rigid with the frame and adapted to lie on the same sidel of a group of warp threads, said group extending across the members, means intermediate the members tending to produce a deflection on said group of warp threads, said means being opposed by the tension of the warp threads, a visual device operatively connected to the means to indicate the amount of deflection of the warp threads, and means to support said gauge on warp threads other than those the tension of which is being measured.

9. In a gauge, a frame, tubular members extending from the frame, supporting rods extending through the members and engaging the Warps at spaced points to support the frame, a movable device mounted on the frame to engage a group of' warp threads other than those on which the rods rest and tending to cause deflection of the warp threads extending between the tubes, and a visual indicator to show the amount of deflection of said group of warp threads, the

rods transmitting the weight of the device to the warp threads out of engagement with the device.

l0. In a warp tension gauge for a sheet of warp threads, an indicating device operatively connected to a selected group of the sheet of warp threads and capable of indicating the condition of tension in the group, and means to support said device on threads of the sheet other than those contained in the selected group.

ll. In a warp tension gauge for a sheet of warp threads subject to variations in tension and the plane of which is subject to slight changes as to position, an indicating device supported by certain of the threads and having operative engagement with other of' the threads to indicate the tension in said other threads.

l2. In a warp tension gauge for a sheet of warp threads, a pair of spaced members each to engage a group of threads, said members normally determining the plane of said group between the members, means to engage the group between said members and deflect the latter out of the plane normally determined by said members, said means being opposed by the tension of the group, an indicator operatively connected to the means to indicate lthe amount of deflection which the means is capable of producing against the tension of the warp, and means to support the gauge on threads of the sheet other than those which are being gauged.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afiixed my signature.

OSCAR V. PAYNE. 

